Embracing
the core value of technology + creativity, Cheil WW India launches Good Vibes
app, the first-ever mobile app that enables two-way communication for the
deafblind. The app won four Abby Awards at the recently held GoaFest 2018,
including Gold Abby for Technology (Utility / Tool).

There
are an estimated 6,00,000 deafblind persons around the world. Many more remain
unknown. Since 95% of what we learn is through our eyes and ears, the
deafblind, who can neither hear nor see, are highly disadvantaged.

While
the progress of technology has touched our lives in unimaginable ways, the
deafblind community has been left behind. For them, the only medium of
interpersonal communication is Pro-tactile Sign Language, which requires
physical contact with a person who can interpret it. This makes them feel
shackled and ever-dependent on caregivers or family members.

While
Braille allows them to read, it remains a one-way communication system. What
they sorely needed instead was a way to communicate with each other, and with
the rest of the world. And the language had to be tactile.

For
team Cheil, the smartphone’s inherent ability to vibrate held promise as it
provides the much-needed tactile feel. By combining this with the simplicity of
Morse Code to represent the alphabet in a binary fashion, the Good Vibes mobile
app was designed & developed.

The
Good Vibes app can take ‘tactile input’ and transmit it as ‘tactile output.’
The app has no visible UI, and works on a set of hand gestures and taps,
helping the deafblind community to connect and chat with each other from
wherever they are.

Technically
speaking, the Good Vibes app interprets ‘short tap’ and ‘long press’ as ‘dot’
and ‘dash’ of Morse code. Combinations of these make letters and words, which
are then transmitted as distinct sets of vibrations, which can be deciphered by
any trained deafblind person. This is the first time in history that we have an
effective two-way communication tool for the deafblind.

Conceptualized,
designed and developed in-house by Cheil, Good Vibes app brings together the
power of creative thinking and technological innovation. Through the language
of vibrations, the Good Vibes app aims to spread positivity in the lives of the
deafblind. Available on Google Play store, the app can be downloaded and used
for free.

The app
was developed by working closely with Sense International (India), a
Non-Profit Organisation that works towards providing access to advice,
opportunities and support for the deafblind community. Good Vibes was recently
showcased at the “National Training for Adult Deafblind” held at Ahmedabad.

“After
interacting with the deafblind and their caregivers, we knew we had our task
cut out. We had to design a user experience that replicates ‘touch & feel’
- the only form of two-way communication used by them. With the Good Vibes app,
we dug deep and explored a whole new dimension of app design: one that works
for those can’t see or hear. The result is ‘the invisible UI’ – probably the
first of its kind. And it works like magic.” added, Vijay Simha,
Executive Creative Director & Vinod Sivan, Group Creative Director, Cheil:
the duo that led the design and development of Good Vibes app.

Speaking
about the app, Sanjeev Jasani, Chief Digital Officer, Cheil WW India said,
“Very seldom do you really get a chance to touch people's lives in a way
"Good Vibes" does. We are really lucky to have this chance to put
technology to good use. We hope to move forward on this journey and continue to
make a difference to people’s lives.”